dk.nightchills-第48部分

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　it。
　He　picked　up　the　telephone　and　dialed　the　Edisons'　number。
　A　ticking　clock。　Nothing　else。
　5：39
　5：40
　　
　〃Bastards！〃
　He　hung　up　the　phone　with　a　bang！
　Suddenly　he　was　drenched　with　perspiration。
　Clammy　and　unfortable；　he　got　to　his　feet。　But　he　was　frozen　by　rage；　he　couldn't　move。
　He　said　to　Thorp；　〃Even　if　they　did　get　out　of　the　store　some　way；　somehow；　they　can't　have　left　town。　That's　absolutely　impossible。　None　of　them's　a　magician。　They　can't　have　done　it。　I've　got　it　all　sewed　up。　Haven't　I？〃
　Thorp　smiled　at　him。　He　was　still　operating　under　the　previous　orders　Salsbury　had　given　him。
　〃Answer　me；　damn　you！〃
　Thorp's　smile　vanished。
　Salsbury　was　livid　and　greasy　with　sweat。　〃Haven't　I　got　this　fucking　town　sewed　up　tight？〃
　〃Oh；　yes；〃　Thorp　said　obediently。
　〃No　one　can　get　out　of　this　crummy　burg　unless　I　let　them　out　of　it。　Isn't　that　right？〃
　〃Yes。　You've　got　it　sewn　up。〃
　Salsbury　was　shaking。　Dizzy。　〃Even　if　they　slipped　out　of　the　store；　I　can　find　them。　I　can　find　them　any　damned　time　I　want　to。　Can't　I？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃I　can　tear　this　goddamned　town　apart；　rip　it　wide　open　and　find　those　sonsofbitches。〃
　〃Any　time　you　want。〃
　〃They　can't　escape。〃
　Abruptly　sitting　down；　almost　as　if　he　had　collapsed；　Salsbury　said；　〃But　that　doesn't　matter。　They　haven't　left　the　store。　They　can't　have　left　it。　It's　guarded。　Closely　guarded。　It's　a　damned　prison。　So　they're　still　in　the　place。　Being　quiet　as　mice。　They　know　I'm　listening。　They're　dying　to　trick　me。　That's　what　it　is。　A　trick。　That's　precisely　what　it　is。〃
　He　dialed　the　Edisons'　number。
　He　heard　the　familiar　ticking　of　the　clock　in　one　of　the　rooms　where　there　was　a　receiver。
　5：44
　5：45
　He　hung　up。
　Dialed　again。
　Ticking。。。
　5：46
　5：47
　He　hung　up。
　Grinning　at　the　chief　of　police；　he　said；　〃Do　you　realize　what　they　want　me　to　do？〃
　Thorp　shook　his　head：　no。
　〃They　want　me　to　panic。　They　want　me　to　order　you　to　make　a　house…to…house　search　for　them。〃　He　giggled。　〃I　could　do　that。　I　could　make　everyone　in　town　cooperate　in　a　house…to…house　search。　But　that　would　take　hours。　And　then　I'd　have　to　erase　the　memory　of　it　from　everyone's　mind；　Four　hundred　minds。　That　would　take　a　couple　of　hours　more。　They　want　me　to　waste　my　time。　Precious　time。　They　want　me　to　panic　and　waste　hours　and　maybe　give　them　a　chance　to　slip　by　me　in　the　confusion。　Isn't　that　what　they　want？〃
　Salsbury　giggled。　〃Well；　I'm　not　playing　their　game。　I'm　going　to　wait　for　Dawson　and　Klinger。　I'm　not　going　to　panic。　Not　me。　I　am　in　control　of　the　situation…and　I'll　stay　that　way。〃
　Ti…under　boomed　over　the　valley　and　reverberated　in　the　two　office　windows。
　He　dialed　the　general　store。
　5：50
　5：51
　He　giggled　and　hung　up。
　Then　he　had　a　startling　thought：　if　the　Edisons　and　the　Annendales　knew　he　was　listening　to　them；　that　meant　they　knew　the　entire　story；　the　truth；　knew　who　he　was；　really　was；　and　what　be　was　doing　here　in　Black　River。　。　。　And　that　was　impossible。
　He　dialed　again。
　5：52
　Nothing。　Silence。
　He　put　down　the　receiver　and　turned　to　Thorp。　〃Well；　I　guess　it　doesn't　matter　if　they　do　know。　They　can't　get　away。　I've　got　them　where　I　want　them。　I　have　the　power　。　。　。〃　He　stared　at　the　infinity　transmitter　for　a　while；　then　looked　back　at　Thorp。　〃What　do　you　think　Miriam　will　do　when　she　finds　out　about　the　power　I've　got？〃
　〃Who's　Miriam？〃
　〃You　know　Miriam。〃
　〃I　don't　know　her。〃
　〃She's　my　ex…wife。〃
　〃A　rotten　bitch。〃
　Thorp　said　nothing。
　〃Frigid　as　a　Popsicle。〃
　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　〃I　know　what　she'll　do；〃　Salsbury　said。　〃She'll　e　crawling　to　me。　Old　Miriam。　Crawling　to　me；　Bob。　On　her　hands　and　knees。　She　will。　Won't　she？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Thorp　said。
　The　power。。。
　〃You　know　what　I'll　do？〃
　Thorp　said；　〃No。〃
　〃You　know　what　the　hell　I'll　do　when　that　rotten　bitch　es　on　her　hands　and　knees；　crawling　on　her　hands　and　knees　to　me？〃
　〃Kick　her　in　the　face。〃
　〃That's　assault；〃　Thorp　said。
　〃Same　for　Dawson。　Kick　him　in　the　face。〃
　〃That's　assault。　You'll　wind　up　in　jail。〃
　〃I'll　get　Dawson；〃　Salsbury　said　solemnly。　Then　he　giggled。　〃I'll　get　that　sanctimonious　old　bastard。〃
　Thorp　frowned。
　〃Think　I　could　find　a　pair　of　jackboots；　Bob？〃
　〃A　pair　of　what？〃
　〃Maybe　there　are　a　few　people；　just　a　few　people；　not　many　mind　you；　that　I'd　want　jackboots　for。〃
　6：30　P。M。
　　
　〃Hello？〃
　〃Mrs。　Wolinski？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃I　am　the　key。〃
　〃I　am　the　lock。〃
　〃Is　your　husband　there？〃　〃He's　upstairs　right　now。〃
　〃Is　he　alone　upstairs？〃　〃Alone？　Yes。〃　〃Are　you　alone　downstairs？〃　〃Yes。〃
　〃Do　you　know　Sam　Edison？〃　〃Oh；　sure。〃
　〃Is　he　at　your　house　now？〃　〃Sam？　No。〃
　〃Is　Jenny　Edison　at　your　house？〃　〃No。　Why　should　she　be？〃
　〃Haven't　you　seen　either　of　the　Edisons　today？〃
　〃No。　Look　here；　I…〃
　〃Mrs。　Wolinski；　when　you　hang　up　your　telephone；　you'll　forget　every　word　of　this　conversation。　You'll　only　remember　that　someone　called　and　tried　to　sell　you　life　insurance。　Someone　from　Bexford。　Is　that　understood？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Hang　up；　Mrs。　Wolinski。〃
　　
　6：45　P。M。
　〃St。　Margaret　Mary's。〃
　〃Is　this　the　rectory？〃　〃Yes；　it　is。〃　〃Father　O'Hara？〃　〃Speaking。〃
　〃I　am　the　key。〃
　〃I　am　the　lock。〃
　〃Are　you　alone；　father？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃What　about　your　housekeeper？〃
　〃She's　gone　home　for　the　day。〃
　〃Do　you　know　Sam　and　Jenny　Edison？〃
　〃Certainly。　Fine　people。〃　〃Is　either　of　them　with　you　now？〃
　〃Here　at　the　rectory？　No。〃
　〃In　the　church　perhaps？〃　〃No。　Why　do　you　ask？〃
　〃Have　you　seen　either　of　the　Edisons　today？〃
　〃No。　I…〃
　〃Do　you　know　Paul　Annendale？〃
　〃I　don't　believe　so。　If　there's　some　sort　of　emergency…〃　〃Shut　up；　O'Hara。　When　you　hang　up　your　telephone；　you'll　forget　every　word　of　this　conversation。　You'll　only　remember　that　someone　dialed　a　wrong　number。　Is　that　understood？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Hang　up；　O'Hara。〃
　　
　7：00　P。M。
　　
　　
　either　of　the　Edisons　today？〃　〃I　saw　Sam。　Down　at　the　store。〃　〃When　was　that；　Mrs。　Jamison？〃　〃This　morning。　Around　nine。〃　〃You　haven't　seen　him　since？〃
　〃Mrs。　Jamison；　I　don't　want　you　to　go　away　from　the　phone。　You　stand　right　there。　But　give　the　receiver　to　your　husband。〃
　〃Hello？〃
　〃Mr。　Jamison？〃
　〃Yes？〃
　〃I　am　the　key。〃
　〃I　am　the　lock。〃
　　
　7：30　P。M。
　　
　　
　〃。。。don't　want　you　to　go　away　from　the　phone；　Mrs。　Potter。　You　stand　right　there。　But　give　the　receiver　to　Reverend　Potter。〃
　〃All　right。　Just　a　minute。　。
　〃Hello？〃
　〃Reverend　Potter？〃
　〃This　is　he。〃
　〃I　am　the　key。〃
　〃I　am　the　lock。〃
　〃Do　you　know　Sam　and　Jenny　Edison？〃　〃Yes。　Very　well；　in　fact。〃
　〃Have　you　seen　either　of　them　today？〃　〃No。〃
　〃Are　you　absolutely　sure　of　that？〃
　〃Oh；　yes。　Absolutely。〃
　〃Have　you　talked　to　either　of　them　today？〃
　〃No。　I…〃
　〃Do　you　know　Paul　Annendale　or　his　daughter？〃　〃Yes。　Every　year　they…〃
　〃Have　you　seen　or　talked　to　them　today？〃
　〃No。　I've　spent　the　day…〃
　〃What　the　fuck's　happening；　Potter？〃
　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃
　〃Where　in　the　hell　are　they？〃
　〃I　don't　like　foul　language　or…〃
　〃I've　called　fifty　people　in　the　past　hour　and　a　half。　Nobody's　seen　them。　Nobody's　heard　from　them。　Nobody　knows　anything。　Well；　they've　got　to　be　in　this　town。　I'm　damn　sure　of　that！　They　can't　get　out　。　。　。　Christ。　You　know　what　I　think；　Potter？　I　think　they're　still　in　the　general　store。〃
　〃If…〃
　〃Being　quiet　as　mice。　Trying　to　fool　me。　They　want　me　to　e　looking　for　them。　They　want　me　to　send　Bob　Thorp　after
　them。　They　probably　have　guns　in　there。　Well；　they　can't　fool　me。　They're　not　going　to　start　a　shooting　match　and　leave　me　with　a　dozen　bodies　to　account　for。　I'll　wait　them　out。　I'll　get　them；　Potter。　And　you　know　what　I'll　do　when　I　get　my　hands　on　them？　The　Edisons　will　have　to　be　studied；　of　course。　I'll　have　to　End　out　why　they　didn't　respond　to　the　drug　and　the　subliminals。　But　I　know　why　the　Annendales　didn't　respond。　They　weren't　here　for　the　program。　So　when　I　get　them；　I　can　dispose　of　them　right　away。　Right　away。　I'll　have　Bob　Thorp　blow　their　fucking　heads　off。　The　sonsofbitches。　That's　exactly　what　I'll　do。〃
　7
　9：00　P。M。
　AT　DUSK；　when　the　thunderstorm　temporarily　abated　for　the　fourth　time　that　day；　a　streamlined　executive　helicopter；　painted　bright　yellow　and　black　like　a　hornet；　already　gleaming　with　green　and　red　running　lights；　fluttered　into　the　east　end　of　the　Black　River　valley。　It　was　flying　low；　no　higher　than　sixty　feet　above　the　ground。　It　followed　Main　Street　toward　the　town　square；　chopping　up　the　humid　air。　A　flat　echo　of　the　stuttering　blades　rebounded　from　the　wet　pavement　below。
　In　the　bell　tower　of　the　all…denominational　church；　also　sixty　feet　above　the　groundbut　safely　hidden　in　the　deep　shadows　that　were　cast　by　the　overhanging　belfry　roof…Rya；　Jenny；　Paul；　and　Sam　watched　the　aircraft　as　it　approached。　In　the　penumbral；　purple…gray　twilight　the　helicopter　seemed　dangerously　close　to　them；　but　no　one　in　it　was　looking　their　way。　However；　the　waning　daylight　was　still　bright　enough　to　allow　them　to　see　into　the　flight　deck　and　into　the　cozy　passenger　cabin　behind　it。
　〃Two　men　besides　the　pilot；〃　Sam　said。
　At　the　square　the　helicopter　hovered　for　a　moment；　then　swept　across　the　municipal　building　and　settled